[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2699 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2699

To establish policies and procedures in the Peace Corps to provide for 
the safety and security of volunteers from rape and sexual assault, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2011

Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mrs. Schmidt, Mr. Poe of Texas, and Ms. 
   Buerkle) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish policies and procedures in the Peace Corps to provide for 
the safety and security of volunteers from rape and sexual assault, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Peace Corps Volunteer Service 
Improvement Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. CONFIDENTIALITY OF REPORTS OF RAPE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Peace Corps shall establish 
and maintain policies and procedures that clearly establish a process 
for volunteers to make confidential reports of rape or sexual assault.
    (b) Penalty.--Any Peace Corps volunteer or staff member who is 
responsible for maintaining confidentiality under subsection (a) and 
who breaches such duty shall be subject to disciplinary action, 
including termination, and in the case of a staff member, ineligibility 
for re-employment with the Peace Corps.
    (c) Inclusion.--In this Act, Peace Corps volunteers includes 
trainees and Peace Corps staff members include any employee, 
contractor, expert, consultant, or Foreign Service national employed or 
contracted by the Peace Corps, whether in the United States or in a 
foreign country.

SEC. 3. SAFETY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT REGARDING PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS 
              SERVING IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than six months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Peace Corps shall consult 
with the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security and enter 
into a memorandum of understanding that specifies the duties and 
obligations of the Peace Corps and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security of 
the Department of State with respect to the protection of Peace Corps 
volunteers and staff members serving in foreign countries, including 
with respect to investigations of safety and security incidents and 
crimes committed against such volunteers and staff members.
    (b) Inspector General Review.--
            (1) Review.--The Inspector General of the Peace Corps shall 
        review the memorandum of understanding described in subsection 
        (a) and be afforded the opportunity to recommend changes that 
        advance the safety and security of Peace Corps volunteers 
        before its entry into force.
            (2) Report.--The Director of the Peace Corps shall consider 
        the recommendations of the Inspector General of the Peace Corps 
        regarding the memorandum of understanding described in 
        subsection (a). If the Director enters into such memorandum 
        without implementing a recommendation of the Inspector General, 
        the Director shall submit to the Inspector General a written 
        explanation relating thereto.
            (3) Failure to meet deadline.--
                    (A) Requirement to submit report.--If, by the date 
                that is 6 months after the date of the enactment of 
                this section, the Director of the Peace Corps is unable 
                to obtain agreement with the Assistant Secretary of 
                State for Diplomatic Security and certification by the 
                Inspector General of the Peace Corps, the Director 
                shall submit to the committees of Congress specified in 
                subparagraph (C) a report explaining the reasons for 
                such failure.
                    (B) Limitation on funds.--If, by the date that is 9 
                months after the date of the enactment of this section, 
                the memorandum of understanding described in subsection 
                (a) has not entered into force, no funds available to 
                the Peace Corps may be obligated or expended to extend 
                to Peace Corps volunteers invitations for service or to 
                deploy Peace Corps trainees overseas unless the 
                Director of the Peace Corps certifies to the committees 
                of Congress specified in subparagraph (C) that--
                            (i) significant progress is being made 
                        toward finalizing such memorandum; and
                            (ii) the Peace Corps is using best efforts 
                        to provide volunteers with the training, 
                        support, and information they need to stay safe 
                        and secure.
                    (C) Committees of congress specified.--The 
                committees of Congress specified in this subparagraph 
                are the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
                Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations 
                of the Senate.

SEC. 4. INDEPENDENCE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE PEACE CORPS.

    The limitations specified in section 7(a)(2)(A) of the Peace Corps 
Act (22 U.S.C. 2506(a)(2)(A)) on the length of appointment or 
assignment under section 7(a)(2) of such Act, section 7(a)(2)(B) of 
such Act on reappointment or reassignment of an individual whose 
appointment or assignment under section 7(a)(2) of such Act has been 
terminated, and section 7(a)(5) of such Act on the circumstances under 
which an appointment or assignment under section 7(a)(2) of such Act 
may exceed five years shall not apply to--
            (1) the Inspector General of the Peace Corps; and
            (2) officers and employees of the Office of the Inspector 
        General of the Peace Corps.

SEC. 5. SAFETY AND SECURITY REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Peace Corps shall annually 
submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a 
report on the safety of Peace Corps volunteers. Each such report shall 
at a minimum include the following information:
            (1) The incidence of crimes, together with the number of 
        arrests, prosecutions, and incarcerations for every country in 
        which volunteers serve for the preceding year.
            (2) A three year trend analysis of the types and frequency 
        of crimes committed against volunteers for every country in 
        which the Peace Corps has operated for at least the three 
        preceding years.
    (b) Inspector General Audit.--Not later than two years after the 
date of the enactment of this section and at least once every five 
years thereafter (or more frequently as appropriate), the Inspector 
General of the Peace Corps shall perform an audit of Peace Corps 
implementation of safety and security protocols, including the status 
of any Inspector General findings and recommendations from previous 
audits that have not been adequately remediated or implemented.

SEC. 6. PORTFOLIO REVIEWS.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Peace Corps shall, at least 
once every three years (or more frequently as appropriate), perform a 
review to evaluate the allocation and delivery of resources across the 
countries the Peace Corps serves or is considering for service. Such 
portfolio reviews shall at a minimum include the following with respect 
to each such country:
            (1) An evaluation of the country's commitment to the Peace 
        Corps program.
            (2) An analysis of the safety and security of volunteers.
            (3) An evaluation of the country's need for assistance.
            (4) An analysis of country program costs.
            (5) An evaluation of the effectiveness of management of 
        each post within a country.
            (6) An evaluation of the country's congruence with the 
        Peace Corps' mission and strategic priorities.
    (b) Report.--The Director of the Peace Corps shall prepare a report 
on each portfolio review required under subsection (a). Each such 
report shall discuss performance measures and sources of data used 
(such as project status reports, volunteer surveys, impact studies, 
reports of Inspector General of the Peace Corps, and any relevant 
external sources) in making such review's findings and conclusions. The 
Director shall make each such report available upon request to the 
Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate in a manner consistent with the protection of classified 
information if determined necessary to protect sensitive information.
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